1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of removing a cartridge in a library device that stores a plurality of cartridges such as magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, optical disks, or magneto-optical disks, selectively removes a desired cartridge from among those cartridges, and reads or writes data by using internal drive.
2. Background Art
As discussed in JP2005-209278A (hereinafter, Patent Document 1), there is known a library device (may also be referred to as a data storage system) that stores cartridges in a plurality of cells of a magazine, selectively removes a desired cartridge among those cartridges, and reads or writes data by using a drive.
FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a library device related to the present invention. FIG. 1B is a front view showing the library device related to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an appearance perspective view showing an example of the library device related to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2, the library device related to the present invention includes magazine 1200, two drives 1600, and accessor mechanism 1400. Magazine 1200 includes a plurality of cells 1300 for housing cartridges 1100 stacked in a horizontal posture. Drive 1600 reads or writes data on a storage medium in cartridge 1100. Accessor mechanism 1400 transfers cartridge 1100.
Each one of cells 1300 used in the library device can house a plurality of cells in a row.
However, in the case of the cell that can house the plurality of cartridges, due to an assembling error or aged deterioration of the cell or the cartridges, a cartridge housed in a deep side of the cell may be caught on a wall surface of the cell. As a result, the cartridge cannot be removed from the cell.
In anticipation of such an emergency, the library device can include a mechanism for ejecting the cartridge from the cell by, for example, thrusting out the cartridge. During a normal operation, however, the cartridge housed in the deep side of the cell is not caught on the wall surface of the cell. Thus, the addition of the ejection mechanism just for such an emergency is wasteful, and an increase in the number of components creates a problem of a cost increase.